Apparatus for forming a refractory nozzle body

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for forming a refractory nozzle body in a vessel, such as a tundish from which liquid metal is teemed into a continuous-casting mold. The apparatus comprises a plurality of forming sections, which together are contoured to define a nozzle well. The sections are installed one at a time in an opening in the refractory lining of the vessel. As each section is installed, a layer of plastic refractory is rammed therearound.

United States Patent Boto APPARATUS FOR FORMING A REFRACTORY NOZZLE BODYInventor: Louis Boto, Baytown, Tex.

Assignec: United States Steel Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed: Jan. 15, 1973 Appl. No.: 323,570

Related US. Application Data Division of Scr. No. 173,438, Aug. 20,1971.

US. Cl....- 249/142, 249/83, 249/146,

Int. Cl B28b 7/18 Field of Search 249/83, 84, 85, 92, 126, 249/128, 129,139, 146, 186, 184, 177, 149, 155,163,165, 171, 90, 91, 96, 97,176;264/30, 269; 266/42 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 840,637l/l907 Locher 249/184 X I111 3,801,058 Apr. 2, 1974 2,247,537 7/1941Warren 249/149 2,032,637 3/1936 Schuster 249/]65 X 775,666 11/1904 Shutc249/184 X. 791,585 6/1905 Schu11cr.... 249/165 X 3,395,840 8/1968Gardner 264/30 3,396,961 8/1968 Farrington 264/30 PrimaryExaminer-J.Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner.1ohn S. Brown Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Walter P. Wood [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for forming a refractorynozzle body in a vessel, such as a tundish from which liquid metal isteemed into a continuous-casting mold. The apparatus comprises aplurality of forming sections, which together are contoured to define anozzle well. The sections are installed one at a time in an opening inthe refractory lining of the vessel. As each section is installed, alayer of plastic refractory is rammed therearound.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDAPR 2 I974 13.801; 058

APPARATUS FOR FORMING A REFRACTORY NOZZLE BODY This is a division, ofapplication Ser. No. 173,438, filed Aug. 20, 1971.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for forming a refractorynozzle body in a vessel.

Although my invention is not thus limited, my apparatus is particularlyuseful for forming the nozzle in the bottom wall of a tundish from whichliquid metal is teemed into a continuous-casting mold. A conventionaltundish has a metal shell and a liningof refractory brickwork. At thebottom wall the brickwork has one or more openings in which plasticrefractory is rammed to form a corresponding number of nozzles. Therefractory body of a nozzle wears rapidly and requires frequentreplacement. Heretofore the practice has been to ram refractory aroundwooden plugs inserted in the opening in the brickwork, after which amason would cut the refractory to form a properly contoured nozzle well.This practice not only is time-consuming, but pro-. duces a short-livednozzle, since the refractory usually is not compacted properly.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved nozzle-formingapparatus which expedites the operation and also produce a more denselycompacted nozzle body.

A further object is to provide a nozzle-forming apparatus whichcomprises a plurality of sections, each contoured to enable a layer ofrefractory to be rammed around it, the fully assembled apparatus beingcontoured to define the complete nozzle well.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the nozzle of a tundish inwhich my fully assembled apparatus is installed at the finish of aforming operation, the apparatus being partially broken away;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 1 but showing anearlier step in the forming operation; and

FIG. 3 is another similar view but showing a step subsequent to FIG. 2.

The drawing shows a portion of a conventional tundish, which includes ametal shell and a lining 12 of refractory brickwork. The brickwork ofthe bottom wall has one or more openings 13 in which plastic refractoryis rammed to form a nozzle 14. Usually a tundish of this type isequipped with a slidable gate mechanism supported below the nozzle tocontrol discharge of metal through the nozzle. The gate mechanismincludes an orifice plate 15 affixed to the underside ofthe bottom wall.l'have not shown other parts of the gate mechanism, since they are notinvolved in my invention and are taken off to permit my formingapparatus to be installed. Reference can be made to Shapland U.S. PAT.No. 3,352,465 for a showing of a complete slidable gate mechanism.

The forming apparatus of my invention includes a base plate 18, which Ibolt to the underside of the orifice plate 15 after removing the rest ofthe gate mechanism. Conveniently the base plate has bolt holes whichcorrespond with the bolt holes in the orifice plate used to attach saidmechanism. In my' fully assembled apparatus shown in Figure 1, a lowerforming section 19 overlies the base plate 18, a middle forming section20 overlies the lower section, and a top forming section 21 overlies themiddle section. Each section is hollow and its side walls are fabricatedof sheet metal. The three tion 20. Thus the prongs facilitate aligningthe sections together define the contours of the nozzle well.

I removably connect a threaded rod 22 to the base plate 18, as with akey 23 inserted through a transverse slot in the rod beneath the baseplate. The rod extends upwardly from the base plate through the threeforming sections 19, 20 and 21. The lower section 19 has a cover plate24, to the upper face of which I weld a nut 25. Rod 22 threadedlyengages this nut. The middle and top sections 20 and 21 have straps 28and 29 respectively extending across their upper edges. Removable nuts30 and 31 are threadedly engaged with rod 22 and bear against straps 28and 29 respectively to hold the middle and upper sections in place. Themiddle and upper sections have prongs 32 and 33 respectively extendingdownwardly and inwardly from their lower edges. Prongs 32 fit withincorresponding slots in the cover plate 24. Prongs 33 fit within the opentop against the inner face of the side wall of the middle secthreesections.

According to my forming method, I install the base plate 18 on theorifice plate 15, as already explained. I assemble the lower formingsection 19 and rod 22, and install the section and rod on the base platewithin the opening 13 in the brickwork 12. I insert key 23 through theslot in the low portion of the rod. Next I ram a lower layer 36 ofplastic refractory within the opening 13 around the lower section 19, asFIG. 2 shows. The space within the opening 13 is easily accessible,whereby I can properly compact the refractory. Next I install the middleforming section 20 and nut 30 on the rod and ram a middle layer 37 ofrefractory over the lower layer 36, as FIG. 3 shows. Finally, I installthe top forming section 21 and nut 31 on the rod and ram an upper layer38 of refractory over the middle layer 37. Thereafter, I remove thethree forming sections 19, 20 and 21 and rod 22 from above and the baseplate 18 from below, leaving the completed nozzle body 14 in place.

The nozzle well is accurately contoured to the shape of the assembledforming sections. The plastic refractory of each layer is firmlycompacted to maximum density. An unskilled laborer can perform theentire nozzle-forming operation in as little as about three hours. Thusmy invention not only expedites the nozzle-forming operation and makesitunnecessary to utilize skilled labor, but also produces a nozzle oflonger life. While I have shown a three-section forming apparatus, it isapparent the apparatus could have a different number of sections.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in forming a refractory nozzle body in a vesselwhich has a refractory lining with an opening for the nozzle body, saidapparatus comprising a base plate, means for fixing said base plate tothe exterior of the vessel at the opening, a first forming sec sectionsare positioned in the opening to enable succes- 4. An apparatus asdefined in claim 2 in which said sections have sheet metal sidewalls andthe sections other than the first have prongs received in the adjacentsection. I

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said rod has a key andslot connection with said base plate.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which there are three sections.

1. An apparatus for use in forming a refractory nozzle body in a vesselwhich has a refractory lining with an opening for the nozzle body, saidapparatus comprising a base plate, means for fixing said base plate tothe exterior of the vessel at the opening, a first forming sectionoverlying said base plate to be positioned in the portion of the openingadjacent the exterior of the vessel, an additional forming sectionoverlying said first section to be positioned in the portion of theopening adjacent the first-named portion, a rod connected to said baseplate and extending through said sections, and means removablyconnecting each of said sections to said rod, the outer surfaces of saidsections defining the contours of portions of a nozzle well, said outersurfaces being spaced from the lining surface when the sections arepositioned in the opening to enable successive layers of plasticrefractory to be Rammed in the opening around each section in turn asthe section is connected to said rod and positioned in the opening. 2.An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said rod is threaded, andthe means connecting said sections to said rod includes respective nutsengaging said rod over each section.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim2 in which the nut over said first section is welded to this section andthe other nuts are removable with respect to their sections.
 4. Anapparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said sections have sheet metalside walls and the sections other than the first have prongs received inthe adjacent section.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in whichsaid rod has a key and slot connection with said base plate.
 6. Anapparatus as defined in claim 2 in which there are three sections.